cacio e pepe – FoodWatcher

Side Dish Sundays: Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts.

Newest obsession of life: cacio e pepe brussels sprouts! Oh my gosh, you guys. These are the best brussels I’ve had in my life. THE BEST. They are embarrassingly simple but have a ton of flavor. They’re salty, crispy and have a bit of a bite from the pepper. You will love them! Because cheese […]

The post Side Dish Sundays: Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Newest obsession of life: cacio e pepe brussels sprouts!

This cacio e pepe brussels are out of the world. Roasted until crisp, topped with tons of black pepper and salty pecorino cheese. Yum.

Oh my gosh, you guys.

These are the best brussels I’ve had in my life. THE BEST.

They are embarrassingly simple but have a ton of flavor. They’re salty, crispy and have a bit of a bite from the pepper. You will love them! Because cheese and pepper brussels sprouts are the only way to do it.

melted butter on brussels

Way back when I wrote Seriously Delish, I included a recipe for crispy salt and pepper brussels sprouts. You make them on the stovetop and they are quick and crispy and easy and a fave. The flavor is so good, but these… oh wow. These are the business. These take brussels to a whole new level.

The cacio e pepe brussels are roasted with tons of black pepper and pecorino. Instead of using olive oil, I use melted butter to really mimic that cacio e pepe flavor. The butter slightly browns in the oven which adds another whole dimension of flavor too. And the pecorino is extra salty so I find that I don’t even need a lot of salt – if any!

The key is to pile a lot of pecorino on top so it bakes right on the baking sheet into that golden, crispy perfection. Then add another shower of pecorino on top after they come out of the oven. In addition to extra cracks of pepper!

WHAT.

Every time I make these, I want to devour the entire pan. Because, HELLO. They are completely addictive and everyone is a huge huge fan.

This cacio e pepe brussels are out of the world. Roasted until crisp, topped with tons of black pepper and salty pecorino cheese. Yum.

Pecorino is the best choice for cheese, but parmesan can work too. Give the pan a big heavy handed throw!

This cacio e pepe brussels are out of the world. Roasted until crisp, topped with tons of black pepper and salty pecorino cheese. Yum.

What we love to eat with cacio e pepe brussels:

These brussels are amazing as a side dish, but you can also toss them in roasted pastas and grain bowls!

Hot honey pretzel chicken.

Best ever lemon roasted chicken.

Applewood smoked turkey.

Brown sugar butter roasted chicken.

Maple BBQ salmon.

Hot honey roasted salmon.

Pomegranate braised short ribs.

Herb butter roasted beef tenderloin.

Cauliflower schnitzel sandwiches.

Homemade cauliflower gnocchi.

This cacio e pepe brussels are out of the world. Roasted until crisp, topped with tons of black pepper and salty pecorino cheese. Yum.

Cacio e Pepe Brussels

This cacio e pepe brussels are out of the world. Roasted until crisp, topped with tons of black pepper and salty pecorino cheese. Yum.

1 pound brussels sprouts, (stems removed and cut in half)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ to 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
⅓ cup freshly grated pecorino cheese, (plus extra for sprinkling)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Place the brussels on a baking sheet. Pour the butter over top, then toss the brussels well so all of them are covered. Sprinkle with the black pepper and toss. Cover with the pecorino cheese, tossing again.
Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the brussels are slightly golden and the cheese is crisp on the baking sheet. Lift the brussels and crisped cheese off the sheet and onto a place. Top with additional pecorino and serve!
Note: pecorino is super salty so I do not use salt in this recipe. If you feel that you need it, add a sprinkle of salt when roasting!

This cacio e pepe brussels are out of the world. Roasted until crisp, topped with tons of black pepper and salty pecorino cheese. Yum.

Most incredible plate of my life.

The post Side Dish Sundays: Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Pumpkin Cacio e Pepe.

This is where the world stops as we make pumpkin cacio e pepe! Oh yes oh yes oh yes. Guys, I wasn’t planning on sharing this recipe until later this month, but after I posted a quick sneak peek on instagram last week, I knew I had to share it NOW. So many of you […]

The post Pumpkin Cacio e Pepe. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

This is where the world stops as we make pumpkin cacio e pepe!

This pumpkin cacio e pepe is just like the classic pasta dish with a hint of fall. Pumpkin, black pepper and parm come together to make the delicious sauce!

Oh yes oh yes oh yes.

Guys, I wasn’t planning on sharing this recipe until later this month, but after I posted a quick sneak peek on instagram last week, I knew I had to share it NOW. So many of you have requested it and I figured it had to be out in all of its pumpkin glory. That way we (it?) can enjoy all of pumpkin season!

Because newsflash: it’s amazing.

This pumpkin cacio e pepe is just like the classic pasta dish with a hint of fall. Pumpkin, black pepper and parm come together to make the delicious sauce!

It’s crazy because cacio e pepe isn’t even a dish I would order until about two years ago. I have never LOVED black pepper to the point where I want to eat a dish that bears its name. You know? Growing up, I shunned most pepper sprinkles and even now, I rarely say yes to freshly ground black pepper in a restaurant.

This pumpkin cacio e pepe is just like the classic pasta dish with a hint of fall. Pumpkin, black pepper and parm come together to make the delicious sauce!

Like many other dishes, this is one that I once disliked and all of a sudden came around to. When I mean “all of a sudden,” I truly mean it that way. This has happened to me with so many foods, recipes and dishes that it’s unbelievable. For years, I can have an unsubstantiated mental block against a food, only to see a photo of it in a magazine that looks crave-worth and BOOM.

I’m crazy about it. Just like that.

That’s what happened with cacio e pepe, so a few years ago I started making it and fell in love. It reminds me of a not-as-heavy carbonara, even though I know the ingredients are different. It’s such a simple, flavorful and classic dish that it’s hard to pass up.

This pumpkin cacio e pepe is just like the classic pasta dish with a hint of fall. Pumpkin, black pepper and parm come together to make the delicious sauce!

Or in my brain, trash up.

I know I know! Cacio e pepe is so delicious on its own, why do we have to go and add PUMPKIN?

Well, first of all, I’m much more into pumpkin in a savory form than I am in a sweet. Clearly. Considering that less than a week ago, I made pumpkin queso!

And here I find myself, rambling on and on about pumpkin and cheese. Again.

This pumpkin cacio e pepe is just like the classic pasta dish with a hint of fall. Pumpkin, black pepper and parm come together to make the delicious sauce!

It’s so very worth it. Promise you that.

The pumpkin is mild. It’s nothing to freak out over. If anything, you can look on the bright side: it adds extra fiber to this dish!

I do find that adding a few grates of nutmeg or even a shake of cinnamon help to bring out the flavor. It tastes like squash pasta, so you could easily sub in butternut squash or your gourd of choice.

It’s cheesy, and squashy and might just replace this butternut squash carbonara as my favorite squash pasta dish.

Maybe we should have a side-by-side taste test!

This pumpkin cacio e pepe is just like the classic pasta dish with a hint of fall. Pumpkin, black pepper and parm come together to make the delicious sauce!

Pumpkin Cacio e Pepe

This pumpkin cacio e pepe is just like the classic pasta dish with a hint of fall. Pumpkin, black pepper and parm come together to make the delicious sauce!

1/2 pound pasta of your choice ((I used campanelle))
1 to 2 cups reserved pasta water
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons garlic, (finely minced or pressed)
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, (plus extra for topping)
⅔ cup pumpkin puree
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely grated pecorino cheese
parmesan shavings for topping

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Once the pasta has cooked, you want to make sure to reserve 2 cups of the pasta water.
While the water is boiling/pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter melts, stir in the garlic with a pinch of salt and all of the pepper. Toast for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin puree until combined.
Stir in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the nutmeg and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add idn the pasta and toss it together. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the parmesan and pecorino. Toss until the cheese is melted and becomes somewhat of a sauce with the water and the pasta. If needed, you can add in more of the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce.
Serve immediately with extra parmesan shavings and freshly cracked black pepper.

This pumpkin cacio e pepe is just like the classic pasta dish with a hint of fall. Pumpkin, black pepper and parm come together to make the delicious sauce!

My kind of comfort food!

The post Pumpkin Cacio e Pepe. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.